


a family gathering

by IronButterfly



Category: Cabin Pressure
Genre: Fluff, M/M, nothing but fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-19
Updated: 2015-04-19
Packaged: 2018-03-24 18:01:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 621
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3778141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IronButterfly/pseuds/IronButterfly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Douglas joins Martin at a family party, but can't help feeling a little out of place.</p>
            </blockquote>





	a family gathering

**Author's Note:**

> A quick short thing I wrote this morning. Not beta-ed or brit-picked or even that heavily edited.  
> Enjoy!

For the first time, Douglas could admit to feeling out of place and overwhelmed in the midst of people, of Martin’s family – no, correction – Martin’s quite unbelievably _large_ , extended and _loud_ family.

 

Douglas could swear there were kids everywhere, so many, he’d long given up trying to keep track of, but they were nothing compared to Martin’s uncles, aunts and cousins (speaking of whom…had they come to Martin’s second cousin three times removed’s birthday party or was it third cousin twice removed?) and Martin had been taking great care to list and introduce them all to his first officer, but after a while it started going over Douglas’s head so they both agreed to stop with it.

 

This was the first party invitation Martin had received after them becoming a couple and to refuse attending a family gathering just a month after ‘introducing’ Douglas to his kin, would simply not do. So uncomfortable or not, he wasn’t leaving.

 

In truth, Martin had shown even less enthusiasm to go, however it took him only a phone call from his mother, which lasted, perhaps, no longer than four minutes, to make up his mind. Douglas didn’t blame him: the woman could be quite persuasive.

 

But he still felt a little awkward and ill at ease, standing alone and trying not to look as lost as he felt, waiting for Martin to return to him. Some of Martin’s relatives kept glancing over at him, but none of them asked ‘Martin’s pilot friend’ to join them. And Douglas was sort of relieved at the chance of idle privacy that came with grand family gatherings. Not many of the guests seemed to pay him much mind, and he was content simply exchanging brief conversations with those that did. Yes. He could handle this.  

 

“Having fun?” Martin asked, appearing at his elbow and handing him a glass of juice.

 

“Indeed.” Douglas paused, gulping down a much-needed mouthful of his harmless drink. “It’s very…lively.”

 

Martin snorted. “Well, they are half Crieffs after all. “

 

“Hmm, that _does_ explain a lot.” Douglas teased, smirking side-long down at him.

 

Martin grumbled something in reply and Douglas had to hide his smile in his cup.

 

“Honestly though, Douglas.” Martin asked, glancing up at him earnestly. “Are you having a good time?” He took a sharp breath, “I mean…you don’t…don’t have to, if you aren’t…you know…”

 

And that’s, evidently, how long his captain’s confidence lasted him through the evening. Douglas had known the younger man long enough, to put together that the fussing didn’t refer only to the party, and he could recognize the question in those blue eyes: a question that never failed to break the FO’s heart. An uncertainty Douglas had sworn to erase from that lovely gaze.

 

Douglas reached over and took Martin’s hand, pressing a soft kiss into the center of his palm, much to the delight of Martin’s ‘Crieffly’ relatives, who started cheering and clapping.

 

The tips of Martin’s ears turned an endearing shade of pink.

 

“I am,” he answered Martin’s question with a smile, suddenly feeling very much at home. He was used to being teased by his own kinfolk: he was a father, after all. “Truly.”

 

Martin rolled his eyes, still blushing, but couldn’t hide his pleasure in Douglas’s answer.

 

Later, when Douglas had refilled his cup enough times (purely for confidence, of course) to no longer care about impressing his intended’s relatives, to freely share some captivating stories about their adventures on the MJN and even to tug a reluctant looking captain into a messy dance, well…Martin was not the only one to end the night embarrassed. But that was alright, Douglas supposed. They were among family, after all.

**Author's Note:**

> I have never written for this fando(t)m before, but I was re-listening to cp yesterday and well, I couldn't help myself.


End file.
